Homemade Thin-Film Transistor Experiments

I’ve been experimenting with constructing homemade zinc oxide based thin-film transistors. At present, the best devices are sufficient to construct an very slow running astable multivibrator using two of the devices as the active components. Due to the use of liquid dielectrics, the ultimate speed of these devices is extremely limited, as is their operational lifetime. While I hope to be able to construct similar devices using solid dielectrics deposited from solution (such as AlPO), this depends on being able to process the films in a dust free environment. At present, I’m not certain of the best way to do this in a cost effective and space limited manner.

The purpose of this page is to collect all of my “show and tell” documents in a single location and to provide links to other interesting and related sites on the web.

First report, showing the ability to modulate the resistance of a homemade zinc oxide thin film using both liquid and solid dielectrics.

Second report, showing a astable multivibrator constructed using two liquid dielectric based zinc tin oxide devices. A newer version (0.2) was uploaded on July 1st, 2009.

Jeri Ellsworth has worked out a method of making NMOS transistors and circuits using P-type silicon wafers and spin on doped glass. At present she is putting together a series of videos that describe her work in some detail. The following videos are particularly of interest: